The 49ers Probably Will Draft a Running Back this Year

As currently constructed, the 2025 49ers are at the mercy of Christian McCaffrey.

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (9) and safety Damar Hamlin (3) in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

PALM BEACH -- As currently constructed, the 2025 49ers are at the mercy of Christian McCaffrey.

If he stays healthy and plays like the running back he was in 2022 and 2023, the 49ers will be good. If he breaks down again and misses lots of games, they won't be good.

This offseason is all about Brock Purdy and his contract extension and how much he should get paid, but he won't make or break the 2025 season. The 49ers are a run-first team and they win when they have an elite running back.

Which means the 49ers need to draft another running back in case McCaffrey goes down again. And it sounds like they will.

"I think you always hope to address it every year," head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday at the NFL Annual League Meeting. "Of course, we're set with Christian McCaffrey, but every single year except two, we've gone through four running backs. Most teams do, so you always have to be prepared for that. But Christian is healthy. He's doing great. We have Isaac Guerendo in there working. Was pumped to get Patrick Taylor Jr. back. We'll see if we add one in the draft, but you'd like to add one every year."

TRANSLATION: The 49ers either will draft a running back or sign one as an undrafted free agent, or both.

Under Shanahan, the 49ers often trade up for a running back in Round 3 or 4 and then sign another one as an undrafted free agent, and the undrafted running back usually is better.

Let's see if history repeats itself.